by Lisa Hobman
When the kiss ended, she felt a little light-headed, almost drunk from the oh-so-brief exchange. She had never been kissed like that. She raised her fingers and touched her lips where his had been only moments before. They tingled. She tingled. She turned her gaze once again to the door and this time unlocked it with ease.
Sam followed her inside, holding her hand in his and she watched as he made an assessing glance around at his new surroundings. The fireplace wall was adorned in a sumptuous wallpaper of red and gold whilst the rest of the walls remained a rich, neutral cream. She loved artwork, unusual artwork at that, and had displayed as many pieces as she could without cluttering up the small room. Sam stood in front of the mantle appraising one of her most prized paintings. The scene showed a couple walking along a moonlit beach. The painting was almost black and white but for a bright red umbrella that the couple carried together.
‘Very romantic.’ He turned and smiled at her. A little sigh escaped her throat. ‘Nice little place you have here,’ he said, nodding in approval.
‘Thanks. It’s small, but I love it. My parents bought it for me before they died.’
He shook his head. ‘Oh Mallory, I really am sorry for your loss, but wow, what a thoughtful gift.’
Mallory shrugged. ‘I was their only child and they wanted me to have a safe place to live when I moved out of home. They didn’t have much money but they bought this place and rented it out until I was old enough to move in.’
With sadness in his eyes that she recognised all too well, he asked, ‘So what happened to them?’
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment to steel herself. ‘My mum fought a long illness and Dad looked after her. I think when she passed away he just gave up. I think he died of a broken heart to be honest.’
He stroked her cheek. ‘They had a really strong bond, huh?’
She smiled and nodded. ‘Soulmates.’
‘Well they made a great choice for you with this place.’
She glanced around her lounge. ‘It’s big enough for the two of us. Well, more like one and a half.’ She laughed as a little black dog ran into the room making a beeline for the visitor in her home. ‘This is Ruby.’
Sam crouched down to greet the fluffy canine. ‘Hey there, cutie-pie, aren’t you just the sweetest wittle fing I have ever seen? Yes, you are. Yes, you are,’ Sam cooed at the dog, which clearly approved of him.
‘So… coffee?’ Mallory asked.
Sam tore himself away from the black wiry bundle of fur skipping around his feet. ‘That’d be great, thank you,’ he answered brightly.
He followed her into the kitchen, still glancing around. She had painted the uneven walls in duck egg blue to complement the handmade pine storage units. There was just enough space for a small dining table, against one wall. The rest of the available spaces on each wall were filled with old, metal advertising signs and little plaques displaying phrases such as ‘I kiss better than I cook’ and ‘I love cooking with wine… and sometimes I put it in my food’. Mallory heard Sam chuckle as he read the words.
When they returned to the lounge, Mallory set the tray of cups, cafetière, cream jug and sugar bowl on the little coffee table which was made from an old piece of tree stump with a highly polished top.
Sam sat on the couch. ‘Wow cool table.’ He ran his hand along the nobbled sides and smooth top of the furniture. ‘And a cool tray.’
Mallory walked over to switch on her iPod docking station and flicked to Snow Patrol’s ‘Eyes Open’ album – an old favourite – and hit play.
‘Oh, great choice. I love this album. So, what’s the story with the table? And the tray?’ Sam asked.
‘The coffee table is a creation made by Brad, my best friend Josie’s boyfriend. He studied carpentry. He’s also responsible for the kitchen.’ She gestured in the direction of the other room. ‘And the tray is me. It’s just a plain old seed tray that I tarted up a bit.’
‘Tarted up?’ Sam mimicked her accent, grinning cheekily.
‘Oy!’ She playfully hit him with a throw cushion. ‘Yes, I make stuff. Or I buy bits and pieces and make them look pretty,’ she said proudly, pleased at his earlier compliment.
‘Well, you are one talented lady, Miss Yorksherrrr.’
‘Why thank you, Mr Canada.’ Mallory proceeded to pour the coffee and hand a mug of it to Sam; its delicious aroma wafting through the room.
‘Have you always lived here alone?’
‘I have. As I said, I lived with my aunt after my folks died but eventually I took the plunge. I never really thought about getting a lodger. It was very lonely to begin though. I missed my folks and my aunt terribly. That’s how I came to get Ruby.’ A cloud of melancholy threatened to descend on her but her all-time favourite song – ‘Chasing Cars’ – began to play in the background and she smiled.
Sam let out a deep breath. ‘Oh, I love this song.’ He closed his eyes and Mallory stared into space with a serene smile playing on her lips.
Moments later she could sense his eyes on her. ‘You really are beautiful, Mallory. But I get the feeling you don’t think you are.’
She covered his hand with hers. ‘I’ll settle for the fact that you think so.’
Sam took Mallory’s cup and placed it beside his on the tray. He moved in closer still and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I hope that one day I get to show you how beautiful I think you are.’
Mallory gasped.
*
Great, he’d done it again with his ‘speak first, think later’ mentality. Idiot, he reprimanded himself. It was true though. He couldn’t deny it, and why should he? And furthermore why shouldn’t she know this? He wanted her. He wanted her now and he had to stop himself from ripping at her clothing right there and then like some crazed animal.
No, he breathed, trying to calm his thoughts. He was willing to wait. He didn’t want her to think of this as a one-time thing. He truly desired this woman. She was everything he had ever wanted. She was beautiful… no… stunning, but beguilingly unaware of the fact. She was intelligent, hilariously funny, kind and passionate. The idiot with the car must have been crazy.
*
Mallory saw a mix of emotions flash across Sam’s beautiful face. I would NEVER sleep with a man on our first date, she reminded herself, thinking back to the gift she had received from Josie. Although, technically, this could be counted as our second… and if I was to be really picky, we’ve changed location so this could be counted as our third…
Before she could stop herself, she lurched forward and flung her arms around his neck. Grabbing his shirt with one hand and his hair with the other, she pulled him towards her. She pushed her tongue between his full, luscious lips and deepened the kiss, desperate to taste him again. It was a hot, lust-fuelled, needy kiss, and, in that split second, she hoped it conveyed that she wanted him desperately and NOW!
He didn’t make a move and so she started to pull away thinking she had made the most stupid mistake of her life. Oh, God he thinks I’m a tart! Aaargh!
Her breathing was ragged as she dared to glance into his eyes. He was staring open-mouthed, his breathing, too, was erratic.
She stood quickly, feeling a little head rush as she did so. ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.’
Suddenly Sam rose to his feet too. She expected him to make his excuses and leave. She wouldn’t blame him. She had just molested him on her sofa! Hussy! The word her aunt had used to describe what she considered ‘loose girls’ sprang immediately to mind.
Sam just stood there looking at her, panting; clearly searching for words which seemed to evade him. This was getting worse. She covered her eyes with her hands. He had said he desired her. He had talked about her curves; he had kissed her first, for goodness’ sake! He said he wanted her, in a roundabout way. What the hell was going on then?
Needing to fill the silence, she began backtracking. ‘I’m not usually like this. I don’t launch myself
at men, well, of course not unless… unless my heel’s stuck in a pavement… and… and I don’t have any choice in the matter, but even then, I don’t stick my tongue down their throat and expect them to be happy about it. Obviously, not that I’ve ever actually found myself in that exact scenario until I met you. Oh God, I can’t believe I just did what I just did. What a moron. And I can’t believe I’m still talking,’ she rambled. It was truly ridiculous.
Sam walked over to her and looked down, peering into her eyes. He placed a hand on either side of her face. ‘Would you please, just stop talking for one second?’ Despite his harsh words, his expression was warm and he was smiling.
Without further words, he slid his hands into her hair and lowered his mouth to hers. This time the kiss was searching, passionate, deep and lusciously wet. This time his tongue entered her mouth and she welcomed it with her own.
In turn, he caressed her back, tangled his fingers in her hair and brushed his thumbs adoringly over her face. His movements were prurient, yet somehow loving. Every so often he would break free of her mouth to gaze into her eyes; almost as if he disbelieved that this was real.
Taken over by some inner fortitude and with Josie’s words about there being no rules echoing around her mind, she took his hand and bravely led him towards the open staircase. Maybe now was the time to stop being the mousey, self-conscious woman she had been for far too long. Maybe now she should follow her heart instead of letting her logical mind rule the day.
Sam followed her, willingly, up the stairs telling her that she wasn’t making a huge mistake after all. She opened the door to her bedroom and, keeping a hold on his hand, she backed slowly inside. He gazed down at her with hooded eyes, filled with lust. Although shy and still a little self-conscious, she was about to trust this gorgeous man with her body.
Mallory had never felt so desirable and it filled her with a new confidence. Sam stroked her hair as she began to unbutton the light blue cotton shirt that he had looked so very handsome in. She removed the shirt and threw it aside. Next, she tugged at the hem of his white T-shirt, he lifted his arms and in one smooth movement, she swiped it off over his head. She gasped as she laid fresh eyes on the beautiful, muscular, naked torso in front of her. Okay, he wasn’t male-model material, but gosh, to her he couldn’t be more perfect.
*
Sam removed her glasses. ‘Wow, Mallory, you have the prettiest eyes,’ he told her as he placed the glasses on her nightstand. He unfastened the top three buttons of her fitted black shirt to reveal just a hint of cleavage and his breath caught in his throat. Gently, he continued down until her lace-covered breasts were exposed to his hungry gaze.
He discarded the shirt. ‘So beautiful,’ he whispered.
Mallory’s cheeks flushed and he leant forward to plant a gentle kiss on her collarbone.
It was so soon, but he knew that this was more than just sex. There was something about this incredible woman that called to him on a deeper level and he wanted to communicate this to her somehow. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, in a warm sensual embrace. He ran his fingers up and down her spine. Her smooth, creamy skin heated under his touch and he rested his chin atop her head. She was just the right height. She reciprocated and smoothed her hands down his sculpted back.
He pulled away, gazing at her once again as he tilted her chin up towards him. ‘Are you okay, Mallory? We don’t have to do this. I’m happy to wait. We have time.’
‘I don’t want to wait, Sam. This feels right. I want this… I want you.’
On hearing these words, his ardour was fuelled. He slowly crouched down before her, turned her around and unzipped the back of the fitted skirt that skimmed the delicious curve of her hip. He shimmied the fabric down her rounded bottom and onto the floor before kissing her lower back just above the top of her black lace panties, and she shivered under his touch.
Turning her around once more, he rose to stand before her, taking a step back to appraise the gift he had just unwrapped and in complete awe of her beauty.
But as he was admiring her sensuous curves, he sensed her discomfort at his gaze. ‘Hey, Mallory, please don’t feel embarrassed,’ he reassured. ‘I can honestly say that I’ve never desired any woman more than I desire you right now.’
*
Hearing the huskiness in his voice, she trembled with desire. She wanted to see all of him; feel all of him. With a deep calming breath, she slid the straps of her lace bra down over her shoulders and bent her arms back to unfasten the clasp. She held the underwear in her hands, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable as her full, rounded breasts heaved with a mixture of fear and need. Sam took it from her hands and threw it onto the little armchair in the corner of the room.
A wry smile appeared on his face. ‘Wanna do this last part together?’ he whispered and Mallory nodded. ‘Okay, on three… One… two… three.’
Hurriedly, they both removed their remaining undergarments and stood there, naked before one another.
Oh, my God this is really happening, the scrambled thought rushed through her mind.
He was a spectacular specimen of sexual male, she thought. His desire evidently mirrored her own and she reached forward to lightly caress him as his head tilted back and he sighed a deep groan.
In one swift move, he pulled her on to the bed to feast on her sensitive skin, kissing and caressing her in ways that made her inhibitions melt away on waves of wonderful sensation. Gentle, tender fingers and lips trailed across her heated flesh, and try as she might she could no longer keep her eyes focused on the man who was bringing her body to life and so she allowed herself to become lost in his touch and his passionate whispered words of adoration.
*
Later, when they had floated back down to earth, Sam collapsed back onto the bed, pulling Mallory into his side. Quite exhausted, she wrapped her arm around him and nuzzled into his neck as his hot, heavy breaths feathered her overheated skin. They lay silent and speechless, relishing the glow remaining from the passion and intimacy they had just shared.
He rolled to face her and they caressed each other, entwining their fingers and exchanging tender kisses, whilst their breathing calmed and their heartbeats returned to normal.
‘Wow,’ was all Mallory could manage to say after the long silence as she gazed deep into the eyes of her lover.
‘You’re telling me.’ Sam inhaled deeply and rolled onto his back, raising an arm above his head.
She lay beside him not knowing what else to do.
As if sensing her sudden awkwardness, he turned to face her again and softly said, ‘Hey, penny for ’em?’
‘I’m just thinking that was probably the best sex I’ve ever had, but don’t go getting all big-headed and arrogant now.’ She poked his bare flesh playfully.
He scooped her up and pulled her into him once again. ‘If I told you that I felt exactly the same way would that help?’ he asked, stroking her hair.
‘If it were true then yes, I suppose I’d feel pretty good,’ she replied in a small, shy voice.
‘All I can say, Mallory, is that I hope we do a lot more of that and on a regular basis too. In between the odd conversation and meal of course,’ he teased. ‘A man’s gotta eat.’
She nuzzled into his neck again, smiling and savouring his words.
*
Sam returned to Canada for Christmas a couple of weeks later and Mallory missed him terribly. He had left her a little gift under her tree and given strict instructions that it was not to be opened until Christmas morning. She had picked up the box on several occasions to examine the beautiful wrapping – or that’s what she had told herself she was doing. She had secretly sniffed it, shaken it and been so tempted to peel back just one corner of the sparkly Santa paper but she had always placed it back under the tree unopened.
In their usual festive tradition, Josie and Brad arrived to stay on Christmas Eve and they all drank champagne and prepared the veg for their festive feast. They had ev
entually gone to bed at around midnight, after playing a very long game of Scrabble, which Brad had won and boasted about for the rest of the wine-fuelled evening.
Mallory awoke at nine on Christmas morning and made her way downstairs, eager to open her gift from Sam. Brad and Josie were still sleeping and so she switched on the tree lights and admired her beautifully decorated, real tree as she inhaled the fragrance of the garland over the fireplace. In spite of the losses she had suffered over the years, Christmas held so many wonderful memories for her and she loved the festive feeling.
Taking the rectangular box wrapped from under the tree, she read the tag once more,
To my beautiful Yorkshire Rose, lots of love from Santa Sam.
She grinned widely and eagerly ripped off the paper and inside was a red velvet box. She opened it slowly and gasped at the contents. A stunning white gold bracelet of linked hearts, each with a diamond at its centre. Wedged into the lid of the box was a note.
She unfolded it and read, Mallory, I give you my heart, forever. Tears of happiness stung her eyes and she wished so much that he was here with her.
Lunch was amazing but Mallory and her guests ate far too much, rendering them all sleepy. At two o’clock, the phone rang and Mallory almost vaulted over the sofa to answer it.
‘Hello? Sam?’
‘Hey, baby, it’s me. Merry Christmas.’
‘Oh Sam! Merry Christmas to you too. I miss you so much.’
‘I miss you too. Been telling my mom and Ry all about you,’ he told her. ‘They want to meet you. How would you fancy a little holiday out here sometime?’
In spite of how fast things had progressed she could think of nothing she wanted more. Maybe she should have been terrified at the prospect of meeting his family but deep inside she knew this was meant to be, so instead of fear, her heart tripped with a jolt of excitement. ‘That’d be amazing. We’ll have to arrange it. I opened my gift by the way.’
